Dear Parents and Carers,

This year we are introducing to all children the Zones of Regulation. This is the next step to the children’s work on understanding emotions and wellbeing. Some children will have learnt about the Zones of Regulation during the last academic year when some teachers were researching this concept.

The Zones of Regulation are lessons and activities to help us to gain skills in the area of self-regulation. Self-regulation can go by many names, such as self-control and impulse control. The lessons and learning activities are designed to help children recognise when they are in the different zones as well as learn how to use strategies to change or stay in the zone they are in. In addition to addressing self-regulation, the children will gain an increased vocabulary of emotional terms, skills in reading other people’s facial expressions, perspective about how others see and react to their behaviour, insight into events that trigger their behaviour, calming and alerting strategies, and problem solving skills.

We will be using language with the children to support them to understand which zone they are in e.g.

“This is really frustrating me and making me go into the Yellow Zone. I need to use a tool to calm down. I will take some deep breaths.”

It is important to note that everyone experiences all of the zones—the Red and Yellow Zones are not the “bad” or “naughty” zones. All of the zones are expected at one time or another. The Zones of Regulation is intended to be neutral and not communicate judgment.

We hope you can support your child when use this language.

Yours Sincerely

Miss Elsey

Deputy Head Teacher & SENCo